Florida planting calendar

When to plant peppers in Florida — sow, transplant & harvest dates

Florida is mostly USDA zone 9b (range 8a-11b). Dates below are derived from peppers's frost tolerance and Florida's frost window — not generic national averages.

Peppers planting timetable for Florida

Stage	When in Florida	Anchor
Start seeds indoors (spring crop)	late December (December 24)	9 weeks before the last frost (late February (north) to no frost (south))
Transplant outside (spring crop)	mid-March (March 11)	14 days after the last frost (late February (north) to no frost (south))
Spring-crop harvest	late May onward, before peak summer heat	80-day crop — finishes before mid-summer
Plant the fall crop	mid-September (September 12) — once the worst heat breaks	~94 days before the first fall frost (mid-December (north) to no frost (south))
Fall-crop harvest	early December into early winter	80-day crop — often the more productive of the two

Dates are state-wide averages for the dominant zone. Local microclimates — elevation, urban heat, coastal moderation — can shift the window by 1-2 weeks. Use the frost-date calculator for a date tuned to your town.

Why Florida's climate shifts the peppers dates

Florida's long hot summer shuts down fruit set, so locals run two short crops — a spring planting and a fall planting — around a deliberate mid-summer pause, instead of one long northern-style season. Florida is the warmest state in the contiguous US, with subtropical to tropical conditions. The growing constraint is summer heat, humidity, and rain — not cold.

Peppers need more heat than tomatoes — wait until soil temperatures hit 18 °C and nights stay above 13 °C. Short-season zones rely on transplants raised under lights for 8-10 weeks before going outside.

Frost-risk note

A light frost in the western Panhandle near Tallahassee (zone 8a) can clip an early spring planting; the bigger risk is mid-summer heat sterilising flowers.

Regional variation within Florida

the Florida Keys (zone 11b) can start the spring crop weeks earlier and may garden almost year-round; the western Panhandle near Tallahassee (zone 8a) runs a shorter, more northern-style single season.

Miami — USDA zone 11a
Orlando — USDA zone 10a
Tampa — USDA zone 10a
Jacksonville — USDA zone 9a
Tallahassee — USDA zone 8b

What else to plant in Florida around then

Pair the spring slot with other heat-lovers (peppers, squash, beans); use the cool October–February window for greens and brassicas.

Quick-grow guide

Sun: Full sun — 6-8 hours direct.
Soil temperature for germination: 24-29 °C (75-85 °F).
Spacing: 18-24 inches (45-60 cm) between plants.
Days to harvest: ~80 days from planting out.

Frequently asked questions

When is the best time to plant peppers in Florida?

In Florida (mostly USDA zone 9b), sow peppers indoors around late December, set the spring crop out mid-March, harvest before peak summer heat, then plant a second crop mid-September for an autumn harvest. Avoid mid-summer. Peppers are frost-tender — a single light frost kills seedlings, so they only go outside once frost danger has fully passed and the soil is warm.

What USDA zone is Florida?

Most of Florida sits in USDA hardiness zone 9b, with the state spanning roughly 8a-11b from the western Panhandle near Tallahassee (zone 8a) to the Florida Keys (zone 11b). The last spring frost averages late February (north) to no frost (south) and the first fall frost mid-December (north) to no frost (south).

Can you grow peppers in Florida?

Yes. Florida's dominant zone 9b supports peppers — the key is timing. Peppers are frost-tender — a single light frost kills seedlings, so they only go outside once frost danger has fully passed and the soil is warm.

Does the planting date change across Florida?

What else can I plant in Florida around the same time?

Pair the spring slot with other heat-lovers (peppers, squash, beans); use the cool October–February window for greens and brassicas.

Source and methodology

State zone spans from the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023); frost-date averages from NOAA Climate Data Online. Hot-state two-season timing cross-checked against the UF/IFAS Florida Gardening Calendar and the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension planting calendar. Curated by the Growli editorial team.